Natural Disinfectants and Deodorisers

GREEN LIVING COLUMN PENCINTA ALAM JULY 2013

NATURAL DISINFECTANTS AND DEODORISERS
By Wong Ee Lynn

Bacteria are a natural part of the ecosystem. Our attempts to keep our homes and families healthy should be with the goal of having a clean, pleasant-smelling place to live, where potentially hazardous bacteria are controlled by basic hygiene.

A healthy human immune system can easily cope with normal household germs, and is in fact at greater risk from the chemicals used in many cleaning products.

In recent years, we have seen a boom in anti-bacterial products, from kitchen sponges to dishwashing liquid. Not only can disinfectants be health risks in themselves, many disinfectants contain chemicals, such as triclosan, which can affect the central nervous system of humans and other mammals, and cause organ damage. Health and environmental experts caution against anti-microbial products (sponges, toys, soaps, washcloths, aerosol sprays) because:

(1) They create a false sense of security and there is no evidence at all that they make a home safer or protect humans against illnesses and infections;
(2) They are likely to unfavourably alter the balance of microbial life in the home, leaving behind those that are more resistant to disinfectants and harder to kill;
(3) Surviving bacteria are likely to become resistant, and could make homes, like hospitals, a harbour for truly dangerous bacteria. In cases where you truly need a stronger disinfectant, e.g. in cleaning the cages and living areas of pets that have recently suffered deadly infections such as parvovirus, the best choice is a properly diluted solution of chlorine bleach.

However, most of our daily cleaning activities would not require the use of bleach. For general purposes, there are excellent natural disinfectants which include lavender oil, tea tree oil, grapefruit seed oil and other citrus extracts.

A basic list of products and tips:

1. Use cleaning cloths instead of disposable disinfectant wipes. Cotton material, e.g. old t-shirts, is best for cleaning and polishing, and can be tossed in for washing together with the rest of the laundry when dirty.

2. Instead of having various types of household cleaning agents, purchase an all-purpose biodegradable cleaner to use for most general cleaning, including mopping the floor, cleaning the bathroom and wiping down furniture. If the product is unscented, you can always add a few drops of pure essential oil, such as tea tree (antifungal) or peppermint and lavender (deodorising, antibacterial) to a diluted solution prior to cleaning.

3. White distilled vinegar is great for cleaning glass and windows and does not contain harmful ammonia.

4. Borax is a natural mineral product that kills bacteria and mildew. It can be used to soak nappies, whiten clothes, soften water and increase the effectiveness of plain soap It is also good for preventing odours and preventing mildew and mould growth, for example, in the bathroom.

5. Avoid all aerosol furniture polishes, especially those containing silicone. Experts recommend dusting with a soft cloth dampened with a little water. Good furniture does not need to be polished more than once a year, and you can use beeswax-based polish and other natural furniture polishes for this purpose.

6. Toothpaste can be used to polish and clean delicate metal jewellery.

7. You can make a metal/brass polish using a paste of white vinegar or lemon juice mixed with bicarbonate of soda.

8. If you have cats, clean the litter tray daily and wash the litter trays using soap and water at least once every few days, rather than purchase scented or antibacterial litter so that you can put off cleaning the litter tray.

9. Microwave your kitchen sponge (wet, not dry) for 2 minutes on high heat to kill germs at least twice a week, rather than buy antibacterial sponges.

10. Rather than purchase shoe sprays and powders, stuff your shoes with scrunched up newspaper (you can reuse the newspaper for each pair of shoes until they fall apart). The carbon in newsprint will deodorise your shoes, while the paper will absorb moisture.

11. Reduce the number of clothes you own that require dry-cleaning. Most of the clothes that require dry-cleaning can be safely washed by hand using a mild soap and gently hung out to drip-dry in the shade.

12. Instead of using fabric softener to add fragrance to your laundry, put herbal or floral sachets in your closet and clothes drawers instead, to help your clothes smell fresh. Alternatively, you can also put half-unwrapped bars of lemon or lavender scented soap in your closets as inexpensive and reusable deodorisers.

13. For clothes to stay white, use borax or oxygen-based bleach or hydrogen peroxide solution instead of chlorine bleach to whiten the clothes. Use natural indigo solution in the final rinse to brighten your whites.

14. Instead of antibacterial foam carpet cleaners, sprinkle the carpet with plain bicarbonate of soda. Leave for an hour or two for the soda to deodorise the carpet, and then vacuum. When more intensive cleaning is necessary, clean your carpet with a steam machine and plain water.

15. Use normal soap bars instead of antibacterial shower gels and creams. Soap bars use less packaging and weigh less, and are therefore more environmentally friendly to package and transport. There is no necessity to use antibacterial soap for your daily baths. The belief that soap bars harbour germs is a marketing ploy to create fear and thus sell antibacterial products. Our parents and grandparents did without antibacterial soap and no-one fell sick or died from using and sharing normal inexpensive soap bars.

16. Commercial air-fresheners work by masking unpleasant odours, coating your nasal passages with an oily film, or numbing your sense of smell with a nerve-deadening agent. Instead of using commercial air freshener sprays, gels and canisters, try these simple deodorising tips instead –
(i) Increase and improve ventilation. Open windows daily to clear stale air and toxic fumes. An extractor fan can help in the kitchen and bathroom.
(ii) Empty your rubbish frequently. When your rubbish bin is wet or dirty, wash it using a handful of soap powder/flakes, some water and an outdoor/bathroom broom. Put the rubbish bin upside down outdoors to air-dry.
(iii) Declare your home a no-smoking zone. Smokers will have to learn to regulate their habit, or smoke outdoors.
(iv) Grow indoor plants to improve air quality.

17. Do not use cut flowers to deodorise a room. To make flowers look and smell perfect, the floral industry uses more pesticides than any other agricultural business (since consumers do not, after all, eat flowers). They also use vast quantities of floral accessories (such as plastic wrap and ribbons), floral preservatives and non-native flowers. Purchase potted local plants instead.

18. Insecticides are poisonous and should be avoided because of their negative health and environmental effects. You are unlikely to have a problem with pests if you pay extra attention to cleaning and tidying, and block the entrances of pests (e.g. by installing mosquito screens and covering bathroom and kitchen flow holes at night). Food should be stored in airtight containers such as glass jars, or stored in the refrigerator, to avoid attracting pests. Don’t leave crumbs and unopened packages, and empty wastebaskets regularly. Essential oils such as that of peppermint, eucalyptus and citrus can repel ants and flies, while citronella oil will repel mosquitoes.

19. Instead of purchasing car air fresheners, put a bunch of pandanus leaves or lavender in your car to add fragrance and repel insects. Alternatively, put orange or lemon peel in a cup in your car to remove stale odours. Another simple air freshening method is to open one end of the packaging on a bar of soap (lavender scented soap works particularly well) and put the bar of soap in your car.

(Images reproduced from Wikipedia without permission but in accordance with the principles of fair use)

19-Year-Old Invents Ocean Cleanup Array

PENCINTA ALAM JUNE 2013
ECO KIDS COLUMN

19-YEAR-OLD INVENTS OCEAN CLEANUP ARRAY(Source: Inhabitat.com)

19-year-old Dutch inventor Boyan Slat has unveiled plans to create an Ocean Cleanup Array that could remove 7,250,000 tons of plastic waste from the world’s oceans. The device consists of an anchored network of floating booms and processing platforms that could be dispatched to garbage patches around the world. Instead of moving through the ocean, the array would span the radius of a garbage patch, acting as a giant funnel. The angle of the booms would force plastic in the direction of the platforms, where it would be separated from plankton, filtered and stored for recycling.



At school, Boyan Slat launched a project that analyzed the size and amount of plastic particles in the ocean’s garbage patches. His final paper went on to win several prizes, including Best Technical Design 2012 at the Delft University of Technology. Boyan continued to develop his concept during the summer of 2012, and he revealed it several months later at TEDxDelft 2012.

Slat went on to found The Ocean Cleanup Foundation, a non-profit organization which is responsible for the development of his proposed technologies. His ingenious solution could potentially save hundreds of thousands of aquatic animals annually, and reduce pollutants (including PCB and DDT) from building up in the food chain. It could also save millions per year, both in clean-up costs, lost tourism and damage to marine vessels.


It is estimated that the clean-up process would take about five years, and it could greatly increase awareness about the world’s plastic garbage patches. On his site Slat says, “One of the problems with preventive work is that there isn’t any imagery of these ‘garbage patches’, because the debris is dispersed over millions of square kilometres. By placing our arrays however, it will accumulate along the booms, making it suddenly possible to actually visualize the oceanic garbage patches. We need to stress the importance of recycling, and reducing our consumption of plastic packaging.”


To find out more about The Ocean Cleanup Foundation, visit: http://www.boyanslat.com/plastic4/.

Green Living Column, June 2013: Removing Weeds The Natural Way

PENCINTA ALAM JUNE 2013

GREEN LIVING COLUMN

REMOVING WEEDS THE NATURAL WAY

The rainy season is upon us again, and it usually results in an increase in weeds. The use of chemical weedkillers and herbicides, however, has been linked to water and soil pollution and the deaths of insects, frogs, toads, birds, tree shrews and even companion animals such as dogs and cats. How, then, do we remove weeds without resorting to chemical weedkillers?  Here are some safer ways of removing weeds and preventing weeds from growing:

(1) Spread layers of wet newspaper on top of areas where you do not want weeds to grow. This prevents sunlight from reaching the soil and thus inhibits the growth of grass and weeds.  Old garbage bags, pieces of tarpaulin or old carpet and shower curtains work as well. However, this method can be rather unsightly, so you may wish to restrict this to the insides of flowerpots, borders and in the spaces between plants.

(2) After pulling out weeds, sprinkle normal table salt on the soil to stop weeds and grass from growing. Be careful not to salt the soil where other plants such as flowers grow, as you might end up inadvertently killing them. Salt also works well on edges of lawns, in cracks in the concrete or in the spaces in between tiles.

(3) Spray vinegar directly onto weeds to kill them. However, vinegar can kill other plants that it comes in contact with, so although it is eco-friendly and biodegradable, it takes a little forethought to manage an effective application. Applying vinegar onto weeds is best done on a sunny day without the risk of wind blowing the vinegar onto other plants or the rain to dilute or wash the vinegar away.

(4) Make a liquid soap spray to spray directly onto weeds. Mix 5 tablespoons of liquid soap (such as dishwashing liquid) in one quart (4 cups) of water in a spray bottle. Coat the weeds with the soapy water. Works best on hot days as well.

(5) A kettle of boiling water is usually enough to kill weeds, especially those growing in cracks in the concrete, but does not prevent weeds from growing in the same spot in future.

Pesticides In Your Produce: The Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen

PENCINTA ALAM MAY 2013
GREEN LIVING COLUMN

PESTICIDES IN YOUR PRODUCE: THE DIRTY DOZEN AND CLEAN FIFTEEN

(Compiled and edited from Environmental Working Group, Eartheasy.com and Mother Nature Network)

The health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweigh the risks of pesticide exposure. The Environmental Working Group (EWG)'s Shopper's Guide to Pesticides 2012 was published to help consumers make informed choices if they so choose to reduce their exposure to pesticides found and tested in produce sold in the USA. However, scientists, including the director of the Office for Science and Society at McGill University, Montreal, and the US Dept of Agriculture have stated that there is no evidence that the trace residues of pesticides present in produce are harmful to human health, and that eating conventionally-grown produce is far better than not eating fruits and vegetables at all.

Most countries monitor residual levels of pesticides in produce, and establish legal limits for the safety of consumers. In some cases, however, these residual levels may be toxic to children, pregnant women and even pets.The US FDA maintains that consuming pesticides in low amounts is harmless, but some studies show an association between pesticides and health problems such as cancer, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and nervous system disorders and say exposure could weaken immune systems.

We at Green Living are of the opinion that the EWG Shopper's Guide can help consumers determine which fruits and vegetables have the most pesticides and are the most important to buy organic. By offering consumers the information needed to make a choice, consumers can choose lower their exposure to pesticides by avoiding the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables (Dirty Dozen) and eating the least contaminated produce (Clean Fifteen).

DIRTY DOZEN:
1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Sweet bell peppers
4. Peaches
5. Strawberries
6. Nectarines
7. Grapes
8. Spinach
9. Lettuce
10. Cucumbers
11. Blueberries (from the USA)
12. Potatoes

CLEAN FIFTEEN:
1. Onions
2. Sweet corn
3. Pineapples
4. Avocado
5. Cabbage
6. Sweet peas
7. Asparagus
8. Mangoes
9. Eggplant
10. Kiwifruit
11. Cantaloupe
12. Sweet potatoes
13. Grapefruit
14. Watermelon
15. Mushrooms

Buy Organic:
Produce which is "Certified Organic" will cost more, but is your best assurance of pesticide-free status. Although the chart above is useful, it is not 100% accurate. Growing methods can change, and country-of-origin considerations make it more difficult to know exactly what you're buying. Buying organic, in-season produce from your local market is the best assurance of pesticide-free produce. If you are on a limited budget, look for organic choices for the produce your family eats the most.

Vegetable and Fruit Washes:
Commercial vegetable and fruit washes are available which are formulated to remove chemical residue from produce. You can also make your own produce wash using a solution of table salt in water.

A study done over a decade ago by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station on the removal of trace pesticide residues from produce compared non-organic produce that was either not washed at all, rinsed only in water, and washed in “FIT, Fruit & Vegetable Wash, Organiclean, Vegi-Clean, or a 1% solution of Palmolive.”

The study found there was “little or no difference between tap water rinsing or using a fruit and vegetable wash in reducing residues of the nine pesticides studied.” There was a difference between the unwashed produce and the ones that were rinsed in water or washed with a product. The unwashed produce had more pesticide residues.

So, it seems the amount of pesticides on the surface of produce can be reduced with washing. It also seems as if there is no need to spend extra money on wash products because tap water or salt water is just as effective. However, washing only removes pesticides on the surface, not pesticides that have seeped below the skin of the produce or that have been inbred in the produce from the beginning by genetically engineered (GMOs) seeds.

Peel Fruits with Higher Residue Levels:
Peeling fruits, especially peaches, pears and apples, will help remove residues. Be sure to keep the peelings out of the compost. Some pesticides permeate the skin of the fruit, so this method does not guarantee residual free produce in all cases.

Grow Your Own:
You can attempt to grow many varieties of local fruits, vegetables and herbs yourself. Tomatoes, pandanus leaves, lime, lettuce and sweet potato leaves can easily be grown in pots. Even a small balcony kitchen garden can be very productive for family use.



(Sources: http://eartheasy.com/eat_pesticides_produce.htm
http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/blogs/does-produce-wash-remove-pesticides
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/06/19/155354070/why-you-shouldnt-panic-about-pesticide-in-produce)

Genetically-Modified Foods and How They Affect Us

PENCINTA ALAM APRIL 2013 
GREEN LIVING COLUMN

GENETICALLY-MODIFIED FOODS AND HOW THEY AFFECT US

(Sourced and adapted from Care2.com and Mercola.com. Available at: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/health-risks-of-eating-gmo-foods.html and http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/03/05/gmo-affects-climate-change.aspx)

HEALTH CONCERNS:

Genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, are any living thing that has had its genetic material altered in some way through human scientific interference. This does not refer to “selective breeding,” such as when certain crops are selectively bred by gardeners over time to withstand heat, for instance, or the process by which different dog breeds were developed over time.

Instead, GMOs undergo a form of gene therapy under lab conditions whereby segments of DNA are spliced, rearranged or removed altogether.

You may have been eating genetically modified food for years and not even know it. In the United States, much of the corn and soybeans produced (especially those to be fed to livestock or to provide filler material in processed foods at the supermarket) contain some portion of genetically modified material.

GMOs have infiltrated our shops and food chain largely without much study into their long-term health effects on our bodies. However, The Environmental Working Group conservatively estimates that each American consumes about 190 pounds of GM foods every year despite this lack of research. Choosy consumers are worried about these potential health impacts:

1. Allergies

Perhaps the number one health concern over GM technology is its capacity to create new allergens in our food supply. Allergic reactions typically are brought on by proteins. Nearly every transfer of genetic material from one host into a new one results in the creation of novel proteins. Genetic engineering can increase the levels of a naturally occurring allergen already present in a food or insert allergenic properties into a food that did not previously contain them. It can also result in brand new allergens we’ve never before known.

2. Antibiotic Resistance

Genetic engineers rely heavily on antibiotics to guide experiments. It works like this: Not all host cells will take up foreign genes, so engineers attach a trait for a particular type of antibiotic resistance to the gene they introduce into host cells. After they have introduced the gene into the cells, they douse all the cells with the antibiotic to see which ones survive. The surviving cells are antibiotic-resistant, and therefore engineers know they have taken up the foreign gene.

Overuse of antibiotics can potentially cause the development of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Several health organizations, including the World Health Organization and the American Medical Association, have spoken out about the need for the use of these antibiotics to be phased out of the process of making GM foods.

3. Pesticide Exposure

The majority of GM crops in cultivation are engineered to contain a gene for pesticide resistance. Most are “Roundup Ready,” meaning they can be sprayed with Monsanto’s glyphosate herbicide Roundup without being harmed. The idea is that if the crop itself is immune to Roundup, you can spray it to kill any weeds endangering the plant without worrying about harming your crop.

Sound like a good thing? Only if increased human exposure to pesticides is a good thing. Glyphosate has been linked to numerous health problems in animal studies, among them birth defects, reproductive damage, cancer and endocrine disruption.

4. Unpredictability and the Unknown

Foreign genetic material in a host can cause other genetic material in that host to behave erratically. Genes can be suppressed or overexpressed, causing a wide variety of results. One consequence of over-expression, for example, can be cancer. Nutritional problems can also result from the transfer. In one example, cows that ate Roundup Ready soybeans produced milk with more fat in it.

In another example, milk from cows injected with a genetically engineered growth hormone was found by a number of researchers, including those published in the journal Lancet, to have substantially higher levels of a compound known as insulin-like growth factor-1, which is linked to human breast, colon and prostate cancers. The milk also has higher levels of bovine growth hormones in it, along with pus and sometimes antibiotics.

GM crops have been linked to health problems as diverse as reproductive damage, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes. Concerned scientists have been outspoken about these risks.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS:

Corn and soy—much of which are genetically engineered—are rapidly overtaking native grasslands in some parts of the world, including a number of US states. This is a trend that may have a not-so-insignificant impact on our environment and subsequently, our ability to secure our food supply long-term.

The "faster, bigger, cheaper" approach to food is slowly draining dry our planet's resources and compromising our health. The Earth's soil is depleting at more than 13 percent the rate it can be replaced, and we’ve already lost 75 percent of the world's crop varieties over the last century. Corn, soybeans, wheat, and to some degree rice, are the most common crops grown with monocropping techniques. In fact, corn, wheat and rice now account for 60 percent of human caloric intake, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

According to an articleon GreenFudge.org, monoculture is detrimental to the environment for a number of reasons, including the following:
 * It damages soil ecology by depleting and reducing the diversity of soil nutrients
 * It creates an unbuffered niche for parasitic species to take over, making crops more vulnerable to opportunistic pathogens that can quickly wipe out an entire crop
 * It increases dependency on chemical pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics and genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
 * It increases reliance on expensive specialized farm equipment and machinery that require heavy use of fossil fuels
 * It destroys biodiversity

By contrast, polyculture (the traditional rotation of crops and livestock) better serves both land and people. Polyculture evolved to meet the complete nutritional needs of a local community. Polyculture, when done mindfully, automatically replenishes what is taken out, which makes it sustainable with minimal effort.

THE LABELLING OF GMO PRODUCTS:

GMO labelling was introduced to give consumers the freedom to choose between GMOs and conventional products. Essentially, if a foodstuff is produced using genetic engineering, this must be indicated on its label. 

As of June 14, 2010, new regulations regarding the labeling of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food have been enacted in Malaysia through amendments to the Food Regulations under the Food Act 1983.

These regulations are in accordance with provisions found in the Biosafety Act of Malaysia that require the identification and labeling of living modified organisms (LMOs), which itself has been enacted as part of Malaysia’s responsibilities as asignatory to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on BiologicalDiversity of the United Nations.

Reducing Paper Use and Wastage

PENCINTA ALAM MARCH 2013 

REDUCING PAPER USE AND WASTAGE
By Wong Ee Lynn
(gl.mnselangor@yahoo.com)




(Photo credits: Pyo Ng) 

Even if all paper products were recycled, there would still be a need for paper to be made from virgin resources, as individual paper fibres can only be recycled a finite number of times (generally 5-10 times). As such, paper waste prevention is the most preferable means of reducing the environmental impacts associated with both paper manufacturing (including the demands on land and forest resources) and paper recycling. 

Here are some of the most important ways of reducing paper waste:

AT HOME AND IN YOUR DAILY LIFE:

 1. Terminate subscriptions to junk mail, catalogues, magazines, newsletters and newspapers in print form and subscribe to electronic publications instead. Only print out articles that you will need to refer to again, or better yet, copy and paste them into a Microsoft Word (or other word processing programmes) document and save the soft copy under a folder for articles and reference materials. Review the folder periodically and delete articles that you no longer need or are no longer relevant, to reduce memory/hard disk space.

2. Request your bank, credit card company and telecommunications service providers to send your bill to you via email instead of by post. Switch to online banking to reduce paper waste and the need to drive out and find a parking space.

 3. In the bathroom, use only as much toilet paper as you need, and do not take more than necessary. This also applies when you are using bathrooms outside of your own home, e.g. in shopping malls. An average tree weighs 500 kilograms and produces up to 200kg of toilet paper. 83,048,116 rolls of toilet paper are produced everyday. 27,000 trees are chopped down daily in order to manufacture toilet paper.

4. Use kitchen cleaning clothes, rags and dishcloths instead of paper towels to clean up spills.

5. Use a handkerchief instead of paper towels or tissue paper. An exception may be made in the case of infectious illnesses such as colds and influenza.

6. Purchase products with the least packaging (paper, plastic or others) possible. Purchase in bulk, refillable packaging and refill packs whenever possible. Avoid single-serve packaging.

7. Bring your own reusable shopping bags whenever you go out (not just for grocery shopping) so you can eliminate both paper and plastic bag wastage.

8. Give gifts in reusable shopping bags (or get creative and wrap gifts in cloth napkins, bandannas, new diapers or blankets) to eliminate the need to buy gift wrap, gift boxes or paper bags. Save and reuse giftwrap and gift bags.

9. Send e-cards instead of greeting cards during the festive period. Send festive or birthday postcards instead of regular cards, as postcards are smaller in size and do not require envelopes.

 10. Use reusable, washable tableware instead of disposable party products when entertaining at home.

 11. Dine in at restaurants whenever possible to reduce the need for takeaway packaging. Bring your own takeaway food containers when you need to take away food and beverages.

12. When eating out, use a cloth napkin or handkerchief instead of paper napkins or tissue papers, or just use the sink or wash stand when done.

 13. Try to reduce visits to fast food outlets where food is served in paper and styrofoam packaging by default. Even taking baby steps such as requesting for a children's meal to be served directly on the tray without the cardboard box, or for your drink to be served without the customary plastic lid and straw, is a positive action.

14. Do not purchase post-it notes and memo pads. Instead, make your own using scrap paper and the backs of receipts.

15. Reduce the use of your credit card, as it necessitates the printing of multiple receipts on non-recyclable thermal paper.

16. Since almost all contact information can be found on the Internet these days, printed phone directories and business directories are redundant. Therefore, there is no need to acquire one.

17. When subscribing to a business, check the boxes requesting the particular business not to add you to their hard copy mailing list and not to share your particulars with other businesses. This will cut down on the amount of junk mail you receive.

18. When entertaining at home or organising a party or gathering, eliminate the need for paper party favours, door gifts and invitations. Invitations can be sent electronically, with e-mail reminders to remind invitees of the date. Less wasteful door gifts or favours can include potted plants, homemade treats, cloth shopping bags, or cloth bandannas/handkerchiefs in themed colours. Face painting and temporary body art can replace paper hats and party favours at a children's party.

19. Decline packaging from product retailers and manufacturers whenever possible. Shoe shops are usually very happy when you decline shoe boxes and plastic bags. Mobile phone and electrical appliance retailers are often able to just deliver the products and warranty cards to you, sans box. They can then reuse the box for the next customer. All you have to do is ask.

20. If you or your family members are avid crafters, save flattened boxes, labels, toilet roll tubes and packaging in a container for your arts-and-crafts projects to reduce the need to buy construction or scrapbooking paper.

21. Switch to reusable and washable diapers and feminine hygiene products to reduce the need for disposable products.

22. Purchase more whole foods to reduce the need for packaged or instant foods. Making a cake or salad from fresh products often do not require very much more time or preparation than making one from a boxed mix.

23. Buy used books, or borrow from friends or the library, if you do not have an e-reader. It is unnecessary to purchase latest bestsellers, considering the fact that you can often find the same books in charity sales and thrift stores within months. For the same reason, consider donating books you have already read to charitable organisations and community libraries.

24. Repair broken items, e.g. cellular phones and electrical appliances, whenever possible, to reduce the need for new products and new packaging.

25. Do not purchase calendars, notebooks and greeting cards from charities just because they are "for a good cause". Consider making a gratuitous donation and gently advising the charity (via e-mail, perhaps?) to reduce the number of calendars and other products printed, especially when it comes to time-limited products such as calendars and annual diaries, as fewer consumers rely on such products these days. If you work or volunteer for any such organisation, consider lowering the production volume of such products, or switching to more practical products and merchandise for fundraising purposes. Sponsorship certificates, e.g. for animal adoptions and the sponsorship of projects and needy children, are a feasible alternative to the sale of merchandise for fundraising purposes.


REDUCING PAPER USAGE AT WORK OR IN SCHOOL/COLLEGE:

1. Always make double-sided copies.

2. Set computer defaults to print double-sided.

3. Reuse paper printed only on one side in the fax machine, for draft copies and for internal documents.

4. Preview documents before printing. Use the print preview to spot formatting errors and blank pages. Proofread first and use the grammar & spellcheck to avoid errors that will cause documents to be reprinted. 5. Save emails, minutes and other documents onto hard disk. Delete margins, duplicates, contact details, logos, footers and anything unnecessary, and resize and realign the font and paragraphs to take up the least space possible. It makes for easier reading and if the need to print it arises, less paper will be used.

6. Promote a "think before you copy" attitude. Consider sharing some documents with co-workers. Print only the number of copies needed for the meeting, don't make extras.

7. Print or photocopy only the pages you need, and only the number of copies you need. There is no need to make extra copies for standby. If it is in the disk, it can be reprinted as and only when needed.

8. Save a copy of important documents into your hard disk or e-mail folders. Create folders to keep everything organised and retrievable. Fix a date every month to review the folders and delete documents you no longer need.

9. Saving documents on soft copy may even make your life easier! You can just copy and paste from documents, than refer to the printed copy and type everything from scratch again.

10. However: Don’t be a pack rat and save everything to disk, especially when the information is readily available elsewhere! Keep your inbox and hard disk tidy and organised. This will save memory/disk space and prevent the need to purchase additional disk storage or thumb drives.

11. Examine the reports and documents you print regularly to see if people still need them. Many times, they are created for someone who has left or who does not need it anymore.

12. Remove printers from desks and move them to a central location where one printer will suffice for many people. This will reduce wasteful printing as people will decide it is too much hassle to print unnecessary and personal items.

13. Have an inter-departmental competition to see which dept uses the least paper. Give each Dept a fixed number of reams of paper a week, and mark the packaging, e.g. with Dept X #1, #2 and so forth for each ream. At the end of each week, reward the dept that has the most unused reams of paper remaining. Of course, you will need to take into account the fact that some office departments, say, the Legal Dept, will need to use more paper than the others.

14. Impose a fine on those found to be wasting paper, e.g. crumpling up once-used paper and tossing it into their wastepaper basket when they should be putting it back into the printer tray for drafts. Even crumpled paper can be reused as memo pads.

15. Give members/subscribers/customers/clients the option of going paperless and of receiving newsletters, correspondence, catalogues and other documents via email. Of course, this is not possible where there are legal issues, e.g. acceptance of contract, admission of liability etc, so in those instances, resize and reformat before printing and print on both sides if you can. If a hard copy is going to be sent to you, then don’t print out the email.

16. Unplug the fax machine and request that the sending party email instead. That way, you have more control over whether something should be printed, and you can resize and reformat it before printing. This will also eliminate junk mail by fax. At least try to unplug the fax machine after official office hours.

17. Keep copiers and printers in good repair and make it policy to only buy copiers and printers that make reliable double-sided copies. Let your copier maintenance person know when a copier is performing poorly (toner is low, jams frequently, etc.). Regular copier maintenance is important, especially if the toner is low. Copiers are often used until all the toner is gone and that wears down machines. A copier that works well is less likely to jam and this helps save paper.

18. Not all recycling agencies or local authorities accept shredded paper for recycling. Therefore, do not shred more paper than is necessary. Use the shredder only for confidential documents.

Nanotechnology and Safety: Some Questions and Answers

Pencinta Alam February 2013
Green Living Column


NANOTECHNOLOGY AND SAFETY: SOME QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

You may be surprised to find out how many products on the market utilise nanotechnology.
    * Sunscreen - Many sunscreens contain nanoparticles of zinc oxide or titanium oxide. Older sunscreen formulas use larger particles, which is what gives most sunscreens their whitish color. Smaller particles are less visible, meaning that when you rub the sunscreen into your skin, it doesn't give you a whitish tinge.
    * Self-cleaning glass - A company called Pilkington offers a product they call Activ Glass, which uses nanoparticles to make the glassphotocatalytic and hydrophilic. The photocatalytic effect means that when UV radiation from light hits the glass, nanoparticles become energized and begin to break down and loosen organic molecules on the glass (in other words, dirt). Hydrophilic means that when water makes contact with the glass, it spreads across the glass evenly, which helps wash the glass clean.
    * Clothing - Scientists are using nanoparticles to enhance your clothing. By coating fabrics with a thin layer of zinc oxide nanoparticles, manufacturers can create clothes that give better protection from UV radiation. Some clothes have nanoparticles in the form of little hairs or whiskers that help repel water and other materials, making the clothing stain-resistant.
    * Scratch-resistant coatings - Engineers discovered that adding aluminum silicate nanoparticles to scratch-resistant polymer coatings made the coatings more effective, increasing resistance to chipping and scratching. Scratch-resistant coatings are common on everything from cars to eyeglass lenses.
    * Antimicrobial bandages - Scientist Robert Burrell created a process to manufacture antibacterial bandages using nanoparticles of silver. Silver ions block microbes' cellular respiration [source:Burnsurgery.org]. In other words, silver smothers harmful cells, killing them.

Q: I’ve just heard that an organic certification agency has added nanotechnology to its list of forbidden things. What is it and should I be concerned about it?


A: Nanotechnology is a powerful platform for manipulating matter at the level of atoms and molecules in order to alter their properties. Nanomaterials are defined as particles having one or more dimensions of 100nm or less. One nanometer (nm) is one millionth of a millimeter and one billionth of a meter – or approximately one 80,000th of the width of a human hair. A strand of DNA is 2.5nm wide and a red blood cell 7,000 nm.
The fundamental properties of matter change at the nanoscale. According to research conducted at the University of Rochester’s Department of Environmental Medicine and published in Environmental Health Perspectives in 2005, altered properties can include color, solubility, material strength, electrical conductivity, magnetic behavior, mobility (within the environment and within the human body), chemical reactivity and biological activity. 

The manufacture of products using nanotechnology has exploded in recent years, creating something akin to a gold rush mentality. More than 720 products containing nanomaterials are now on the market. They include sunscreens and cosmetics, food additives, temperature-moderating clothing, food packaging, agricultural fertilizers, computer chips and mobile phones, inks, computer storage devices and displays, football stadium lights, tennis racquets, burn dressings and dental binding agents. Nanotechnology proponents envision it being used in the future to create cheaper ways of producing electricity from the sun, earlier and better diagnostics and treatment of diseases and water purification in developing countries. Currently, there is an estimated $9 billion a year worth of research being done.

There is no doubt that nanotechnology will have a massive impact on all industries and sectors of the economy, society and ecology. Opinion is divided as to whether these changes will be positive or negative. But there is enough concern that The Soil Association in the U.K. – one of the world’s pioneers of organic agriculture – announced in January that it has banned human-made nano- materials from the organic cosmetics, foods and textiles that it certifies. A 2007 survey by 15 governments estimates there are at least 70 nanotech food-related applications already on the market and most major food and beverage corporations are investing in nanotech R&D.


In a statement, The Soil Association explained its motivation: “Our concern with nanoparticles lies in the fact that the properties of materials at this size can differ significantly from those at larger scales. Nanoparticles are so small they can sometimes bypass the body’s natural protective boundaries such as skin…Industry and government are belatedly conducting safety tests that will take several years to reach firm conclusions. Therefore we’ve applied the precautionary principle.”


And that’s the problem: Products containing nanomaterials have been released commercially in the absence of regulatory oversight and in spite of warnings from some of the oldest and most respected scientific bodies in the world, such as the U.K.’s Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering, which published a report in 2004 urging tighter controls on the industry, suggesting that nanomaterials be treated like new chemicals.

In particular, the report highlighted the potential risk of “free” nanoparticles that it said could escape into the atmosphere, be inhaled and have an effect on health, in the same way that ultra fine particles that are a by-produce of forest  fires, volcanoes and processes like welding and vehicle combustion can be harmful to health. Professor Mark Welland, head of the University of Cambridge Nanoscale Science Laboratory, says that we know inhaled nanoparticles found in the bloodstream have dispersed throughout the brain. But, he adds, it is not known if this poses a health risk.

According to a 2006 report prepared under the auspices of the U.S. Congress by that country’s National Research Council, there is also evidence that engineered nanoparticles can have adverse effects on the health of laboratory animals, enter human cells and trigger chemical reactions in soil, interfering with biological and ecological processes. That report also urged precaution to protect the health and safety of workers, the public and the environment.

Oxford University’s Dr. Alexis Vlandas is Nanotechnology spokesperson for International Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility also worries about nanoparticles entering the human body. He says, “A much more proactive effort is needed to understand the complex phenomena (bio-accumulation, degradation, unforeseen chemical reactions, etc.) which could lead to negative impact on human health or the environment.”

Nevertheless, there is still no legal requirement anywhere in the world for manufacturers to conduct new safety tests on nano-scale ingredients. Nor is there any requirement for manufacturers to demonstrate that they do not present a negative impact to the environment or to indicate the presence of nano-scale ingredients on product labels. In fact, there is not even an internationally accepted nomenclature, set of definitions and measurement systems for nanotechnology, although that is being worked on. And, finally, the social, economic and ethical challenges posed by nanotechnologies have yet to be addressed.

Nowhere are untested nanomaterials entering consumer products faster than in the personal care and cosmetics industries. And their use is of concern because these products are used daily and are designed to be used directly on the skin. They may be inhaled and are often ingested. While the jury is still out on whether nanomaterials can enter intact skin, studies show that broken skin is an ineffective barrier. This suggests that the presence of acne, eczema or shaving wounds is likely to enable the uptake of nanoparticles into the body. Furthermore, in preparing its 2006 report Nanomaterials, Sunscreen and Cosmetics: Small Ingredients, Big Risks, Friends of the Earth (FOE) found that many cosmetics and personal care products contain ingredients that intentionally act as “penetration enhancers,” raising concerns they may increase the likelihood of skin uptake of nanomaterials and possible entry into the blood stream.

Nano-scale carbon molecules called “fullerenes” or “buckyballs” are among the ingredients currently being used in face creams and moisturizers. They have been found to cause brain damage in fish. Even low levels of exposure to fullerenes have been shown to damage human liver cells. Chemistry professor Tony Ryan of the University of Sheffield in England has questioned their safety. “I wouldn’t put buckyballs anywhere near my face,” he says. “We need to understand more about the toxicology. One of the potential dangers…is: Are we creating a new asbestos? The asbestosis response is based on the shape of the particle. Part of the issue is in the shape of the molecule and how they’re introduced. We just need to be careful about the risk versus the benefit.”

Nanoparticles of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are used to make sunscreens transparent but, says FOE, they have been shown to be photoactive, producing free radicals and causing DNA damage to skin cells when exposed to UV light. In 2007, Consumer Reports asked an outside lab to test for nanoparticles of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide in eight sunscreens that listed either compound on their label. All eight contained the nanoparticles, yet only one disclosed their use.

The ETC Group, a pioneering Ottawa-based organization working on global issues like biotechnology, conservation of agricultural biodiversity and food security, takes a strong stand on nanotechnology. It cautions that while it offers opportunities for society, it also involves profound ethical, social and environmental risks, not only because it is an enabling technology to the biotech industry, but also because it involves atomic manipulation and will make possible the fusing of the biological world and the mechanical. In 2003, the ETC Group called for a moratorium on research involving molecular self-assembly and self-replication until the ramifications have been studied.

They’re not the only organization calling for a moratorium. FOE-US has called for a moratorium on all commercial release of nanotechnological materials and products. They say, “Given the serious risks and impacts associated with nanotechnology’s introduction, public involvement in decision making regarding nanotechnology and the introduction of a regulatory regime based on the precautionary principle must be prerequisites to further commercialization of nanoproducts.”

In July of 2007, an international coalition of consumer, public health, environmental, labor, and civil society organizations spanning six continents called for strong, comprehensive over sight of nanotechnology and its products. Over 40 groups released a paper entitled Principles for the Oversight of Nano-technologies and Nanomaterials, citing risks to the public, workers and the environment and demanding a moratorium on it pending research and regulation.

“Even though potential health hazards stemming from exposure have been clearly identified, there are no mandatory workplace measures that require exposures to be assessed, workers to be trained or control measures to be implemented,” explains Bill Kojola of the AFL-CIO, which was part of the coalition. “This technology should not be rushed to market until these failings are corrected and workers assured of their safety.”

“Nanomaterials are entering the environment during manufacture, use and disposal of hundreds of products, even though we have no way to track the effects of this potent new form of pollution,” agrees Ian Illuminato of FOE. “By the time monitoring catches up to commerce, the damage will already have been done.”

There is also a concern that nano-technology will provide the tools for continuous surveillance, with implications for civil liberties. And then there’s the growing nano arms race, which could create a whole new generation of weapons of mass destruction including nano-biological weaponry. Over a decade ago, retired U.S. Admiral David Jeremiah told a conference on nanotechnology and global security that nanotechnology will prove more significant than nuclear weapons.

Fortunately, public pressure seems to be goading governments into action. The Environment, Healthy and Safety Division of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development has made the safety of nanomaterials a priority. Canada, Germany, Japan, Australia the U.K. and the U.S. have created working groups to look into the implications of nanotechnology commercialization.

However, the amounts of money being spent are minuscule in comparison to the $6 billion spent last year by governments worldwide on nanotech. (The U.S. government’s $5 billion between 2001 and 2006 is the biggest publicly funded science endeavor since the Apollo moon landing, with the largest portion funding military applications.)
In Canada, the Consumers Council has recently received a $60,000 grant from Canada’s Office of Consumer Affairs to study the impact of nanotechnology on consumers and to improve the capacity of consumers to advocate regarding regulatory decisions.

Here’s hoping other organic certification agencies follow The Soil Association’s lead and add nanotech to their lists of outlawed ingredients. Meanwhile, we think that product manufacturers and distributors must bear the burden of proof to demonstrate the safety of their products: If there is no independent health and safety data review for a nanotech product, then their products shouldn’t be sold.

(Edited and compiled from an original article by Wendy Priesnitz. Available at: http://www.naturallifemagazine.com/0804/asknl.htm)


Not enough data exists to know for sure if nanoparticles could have undesirable effects on the environment. Two areas are relevant here: 

(1) In free form nanoparticles can be released in the air or water during production (or production accidents) or as waste by-product of production, and ultimately accumulate in the soil, water or plant life. 

(2) In fixed form, where they are part of a manufactured substance or product, they will ultimately have to be recycled or disposed of as waste. It is not known yet whether certain nanoparticles will constitute a completely new class of non-biodegradable pollutant. In case they do, it is not known how such pollutants could be removed from air or water because most traditional filters are not suitable for such tasks (their pores are too big to catch nanoparticles).

Of the US$710 million spent in 2002 by the U.S. government on nanotechnology research, only $500,000 was spent on environmental impact assessments. Risks identified include: self-replicating nanobots aggressively or through slowly rising supremacy wiping out the whole biosphere; further destabilising the already endangered diversity of the biosphere.
Concerns have been raised about Silver Nano technology used by Samsung in a range of appliances such as washing machines and air purifiers.

To properly assess the health hazards of engineered nanoparticles the whole life cycle of these particles needs to be evaluated, including their fabrication, storage and distribution, application and potential abuse, and disposal. The impact on humans or the environment may vary at different stages of the life cycle.